


Love is Louder

by coribk



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, I kind of forgot most of the tags I wanted to put, I'm so bad at tagging but at least my writing isn't as bad, Lena Luthor Finds Out Kara Danvers is Supergirl, Slow Burn, i will probably add more tags later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:29:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29630502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coribk/pseuds/coribk
Summary: She did not regret her choice. Not for one second. Alex meant everything to her. Why didn’t she understand? Kara did not care that people knew she existed as long as Alex was alive and well. She could not lose anyone she loved ever again — not when she was able to stop it from happening. Why would she ever take it back?After Kara saves a plane from crashing and with it her sister Alex from certain death, her secret is exposed. Unable to deal with her sister’s disappointment and her cousin’s ignorance, Kara takes off. She feels lonelier than ever before on Earth. However, when she meets a gorgeous and mysterious woman in a bar, things start to look up. Who is she? What does she hide? Will Kara be able to break through her walls?The story starts after Kara and Alex fight in S01E01, after she saved that plane. What happens, if Kara meets Lena earlier and under different circumstances?
Relationships: Kara Danvers & Lena Luthor, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Comments: 71
Kudos: 258





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mium](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mium/gifts).



>   
> Hi there! First of all, I wanted to mention that I’ve never written a Supercorp fic before and I basically only started to write this story as a gift for my friend who’s a huuuge shipper (shout-out to you, buddy! I forgot your name on here, my bad.. _edit: mium it is! Alrighty._ ). So this story is dedicated to her because I’m awesome like that ;)  
>    
> I have to admit that I did not watch all the seasons of Supergirl, so this will not follow all of the events on the show. It will mostly be about Lena and Kara, I think. Oh, and I’m kind of a slow burn writer, sooo… you’ve been warned!  
>    
> Last but not least; Supergirl and all the characters in it do obviously not belong to me, otherwise there would be a lot more common sense in the storyline, no plot holes and Supercorp would have happened. So, don’t sue me! Enjoy!

Kara sighed and buried her head in her hands, trying to block out the noise around her. The smell of alcohol and cigarettes filled her nose. Her first day in Metropolis did not go at all how she had imagined it would. Maybe it had been a bad decision to come here. Maybe she should not have been so naive. Maybe she should have seen it coming. There had been signs along the way. Signs, so obvious, so outspoken, that should have shown her that pursuing a superhero role was not well-perceived. Not by her family. And apparently not by her cousin.

Kara lowered her hands and looked around the dim-lit bar. Her eyes started to burn and a lump formed in her throat. She had never felt so alone in the universe. Kara balled her hands into fists and clenched her jaw. No, that was not true. There had been a time like this, many, many years ago. And if she was being honest with herself, a tiny part of that feeling had never left her. She had grown accustomed to the familiar ache in her heart as the years passed by. It grew weaker when she was surrounded by her family and friends. And it grew stronger whenever she looked up to the millions of stars in the night sky.

Today was one of these days. She missed her family. Her people. Her planet. She missed them so much, she could not even put it into words. Life on Earth was just so complicated and difficult. It was full of rules, full of traps that she could easily fall into. She had never asked for the powers she had. She had never wanted them. If she could trade them against her home, she would do it in the blink of an eye. No questions asked.

She loved her adoptive family, of course, she did. She loved Eliza and Alex with everything she had. She loved her friends here. If it ever came down to it, she would gladly die for them to save their lives. They had always stood by her side and made her feel welcome and loved after everything that had happened in the past. She would never ever be able to repay them for their kindness.

They tried to be understanding and supportive… but there were just some things that they could not understand, no matter how much they tried. None of them had ever experienced this kind of loss. Or how her purpose on this Earth was the only thing that kept her sane during her travel here. They could not know how desperately she had clung to the idea of protecting Kal-El. It gave her enough strength to keep going and to endure her long-lasting journey to this planet.

To be told that her powers were not needed on Earth, not only by her adoptive family but now also by the very person who kept her sane during her darkest time - it hurt more than she imagined.

Kara smiled sadly as she remembered the conversations again. This world did not need another hero, they had said. They had Superman. Her baby cousin that she was supposed to protect. The last task she had been given by her parents. The task she had failed to accomplish. While she had been stuck, Kal-El had become the superhero of Earth. He did not need her anymore.

And today he had told her that he did not want her help either. That she should live and enjoy her life as a human. To be normal. After all, the world already had a superhero. They had Superman. There was no need for her, Kara Danvers.

Kara glared at her glass before drowning the next shot. She wished she could drown her sorrows with alcohol like humans could. She was leaving way too much money at the bar to drink a probably unhealthy amount of something that did not even taste well.

Sighing, Kara shook her head. “What am I even doing here?”

“Hey Steve, turn that up! It’s that flying lady!”

_“Guardian Angel or Human Wrecking Ball? There is destruction all over Otto Binder Bridge-”_

“Not _again!”_ Kara groaned and reluctantly turned towards the TV.

The bar had quietened down as everyone watched the news coverage on the latest hero. She glared at the photo that appeared on the screen again. It was truly not the most flattering one. At least the quality was so bad that it was impossible to catch a clear view of her face or even her hair color. This photo — no, this news coverage was the reason why she was fighting with her sister. Why she tried to reach out to her cousin, only to receive a pat on her head.

For the first time in years, she had used her powers — to save her sister and dozens of other passengers. She had reacted on instinct. When she heard the news that Alex was in mortal danger, she had not thought about her possible exposure to the world. She had done what anyone else in her situation would have done. She had reacted and saved the person she loved the most on this planet.

After the successful rescue, she had been ecstatic about finally, _finally,_ using her powers for good after all these years. She had a purpose. She could help people, she could do what others couldn’t and save lives!

She did not expect a thank-you. She did not expect gratitude. But she also did not expect the aftermath. She certainly had not expected Alex’s reaction. Cringing, she remembered the argument that had taken place before she had left National City to talk to Kal-El. It was still fresh on her mind.

# *

**_Three hours prior_ **

_“What were you thinking?!” They locked eyes. Confusion met disappointment. After a short moment, Alex turned around and scoffed. With a shaking hand, she pointed towards the television. The photograph was frozen on the screen. “You_ exposed _yourself. To the world! You_ _’re out there now, Kara._ Everyone _will know about you and you can_ _’t take that back!”_

_Kara glanced from the TV to her sister. Didn't Alex know? Didn’t she understand? Kara could have cared less about the exposure. Alex’s life had been on the line, among dozens of others. They had spoken about it on the news. She had saved them from certain death._

_It might not have been ideal, but it had been an emergency. There was no time to think it through. It was either saving her sister or planning her funeral. Her knees were still shaking from the adrenaline. She could still not shake off the feeling of pure horror when her first flight attempt had failed. Nor the desperation that had crawled into every cell of her being when she thought she had forgotten how to fly. When she had thought she would not be able to save Alex._

_She did not regret her choice. Not for one second. Alex meant everything to her. Why didn't_ _she understand? Kara did not care that people knew she existed as long as Alex was alive and well. She could not lose anyone she loved ever again — not when she was able to stop it from happening. Why would she ever take it back?_

_“I… I don’t want to.” Kara searched her sister’s eyes as Alex sighed. Never before had she seen such an amount of disappointment and sadness in them. Directed at her. “This is what I was talking about, Alex. I’ve…_ always _felt the need to help people, and tonight I finally got that chance. I_ _…”_

_She paused as her voice broke and blinked a few times as her vision became blurry. How could she possibly explain this? As a teenager, she had tried countless times to make her adoptive family understand how she felt. They had never understood._ ‘It is not your job to protect people,’ _they had said._ ‘You have a second chance here. But you have to be normal. You have to be human.’

_Kara_ _’s shoulders dropped. No matter what she said, nobody would ever understand. Not even Kal-El. “I didn’t travel 2,000 light-years just to be an_ assistant _._ _”_

_Her fear became true as Alex shook her head. “_ _What if people figure out who you are?_ What _you are?_ _”_

_Kara broke the eye contact as her body became numb. She could not bear to hear it anymore. Tears crept into her eyes again and she balled her hands into fists. Why did no one understand?_

_“It’s just…” Alex glanced over her shoulder to the TV. “It’s not safe for you to do anything like that. Ever again.”_

_Kara’s chest hurt as if someone was squeezing it too tightly. She tore her gaze away from the look in Alex’s eyes. A lump formed in her throat. She did not want to cry. She did not want to show Alex how much those words were hurting her. She knew that Alex wanted to protect her. Alex did not mean it badly. She had good intentions. She loved her._

_But gosh, it_ hurt _. It hurt so much._

_The lump in Kara’s throat was throbbing. She swallowed, wincing when the pain only became worse. She pressed her lips together as they started to tremble slightly. She was not going to cry in front of Alex._

_She took a deep breath and cleared her throat. She had to get Alex out of the apartment before she broke down._

_“I’m kinda tired. I… I just carried a plane on my back. I’m gonna go to bed.” Kara dared a quick glance back as silence started to spread. Alex looked like she wanted to say something, but Kara quickly cut her off before she could. “You should go.”_

_With a last meaningful look, Alex turned to the door. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”_

# *

Frowning deeply, Kara drowned another shot. Well, she had not gone to bed. Instead, she went to the only person who she thought would know how she felt.

It had been exhilarating to go against Alex’s warning and to fly to Metropolis. However, meeting Kal-El — or _Clark_ how he preferred to be called now — had not gone how she had imagined it. Of course, he had congratulated her on saving the plane, he had even been proud. But…

Kara clenched her jaw and scoffed. Indeed, what was she even doing here?

The laughter of a few men brought Kara back to the presence. One of the men at the bar whistled as he pointed towards the photo on the TV screen. “I wouldn’t mind her rescuing me, that’s for sure.”

“I don’t think you could handle her!”

“Oh, I’d handle her just fine!” He made a crude gesture and the other men hooted.

Kara rolled her eyes. _As if._ But she was at a bar, what did she expect? Why did she even come here? Alcohol was clearly not working with her unfortunate powers on this planet. She could have just sat on a rooftop somewhere and burn her money to ash.

However, she also had not wanted to be alone. She could not stay with Clark, not after being reminded that even though he was the only biological family she had left, he did not understand. It was not his fault, of course. He was only a baby when he left Krypton. But…

A low deep voice of a woman interrupted her thoughts. “Men are pigs.”

Kara glanced to her left and her mind went blank. All her worries seemed to be washed away as she looked at the stranger that had taken a seat next to her.

A dark-haired woman in an expensive-looking business suit had joined her at the bar. A _drop-dead gorgeous_ dark-haired woman to be exact. Her straight hair was tied into a high ponytail and the red lipstick was a stark contrast to her pale skin. The intensity of the look in her eyes made Kara swallow dryly. These eyes… and the jawline… Kara blinked a few times. This woman was absolutely beautiful, no doubt about that. Probably one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen.

“Uh, I…” Kara pushed her glasses back up and cleared her throat. She had to say something intelligent. She wanted to make a good first impression. Staring and drooling over a stranger was definitely not a good one. She had to think of something. Maybe something witty. Something intelligent. _Anything_ really. “Whoa.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
>  Here’s the next chapter, welcome Lena! Thank you for the great response, guys. I did certainly not expect it! Hope you enjoy this one too.

“Whoa.”

The gorgeous woman raised a single eyebrow.

_Rao,_ was that even legal?

Wait, no. Had she just…? Kara's cheeks started to burn as her mind caught up again and she quickly closed her still open mouth. _Oh no._ She had not seriously just whoa-ed at this woman! She had to get a grip on herself. What was wrong with her?! “Um… I mean… wh-what?”

A smirk appeared on the woman’s lips. Kara wanted the ground to swallow her and put her out of her misery. How _eloquent_ of her. She had surely impressed her with that one.

The woman nodded towards the men that were still laughing among themselves. “Pigs. This woman just saved dozens of lives, not to mention her incredible powers and what this could mean for the country. And yet…”

Kara opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. What was _wrong_ with her?! She needed to say something. Continue the conversation. Or this gorgeous stranger would leave. She would think that she was a weirdo and leave. She could not let that happen!

However, before she could make up her mind, the silence between them was thankfully interrupted by the reporter.

_“We’re going live to Michael Matthews who’s at the scene right now. Michael, is there any news on who this mysterious flying woman is? Or_ what _she is?_ _”_

The woman’s attention turned to the TV and Kara let out a sigh of relief before she followed her example. This would at least give her a little time to regain her senses. This was embarrassing.

_“Well, Julia, despite her outward appearance, I suppose we can all agree that she is definitely not human. The people of National City have not seen her before, so this leaves the question of where she comes from. How long has she been living in National City? Is she just passing through? Was it simply a coincidence that led to the rescue? Or does National City have their very own superhero?”_

_“This brings up a very interesting question, Michael. Where is she now and does she have any connection to Superman?”_

_“You are right, of course. People are indeed wondering if there is a relation to the Man of Steel. Eyewitnesses report that this mysterious woman seems to have shown similar powers…”_

Groaning, Kara adjusted her glasses. Hours before, she would have been overjoyed by these comments. She always wanted to be a superhero. Now, however, it left a bitter taste in her mouth. All she could see was the look in Alex’s eyes before she left her apartment.

“Not a fan of Superman, hm?” the woman asked her before giving the barkeeper a signal. “Scotch, please.”

“Wha- me?” Kara pointed at herself and forced out a loud laugh. “Me? Not liking Superman? Why on Earth… who _doesn_ _’t_ like Superman? Everyone loves him! Well, I mean, except for his enemies, I suppose, because that would just be… weird.”

The woman only looked at her for a long moment and took a sip of her drink.

“And I’m, like, _so_ not an enemy of Superman. How ridiculous. I mean, do I disagree with him? Sure, sometimes, but that happens in every family —” Kara stopped herself mid-sentence and her eyes went wide. What was she doing?! What had she just said?! “I mean, family, like… as in… aren’t we all… a huge… family… on this planet? Earth? That we’ve all been born on? Except for Superman, of course! But we, humans, humankind, aren’t we all a big family? Somewhat dysfunctional at times, sure, but… still family, right?”

“Family?” the woman muttered, not taking her eyes off of her. “I suppose that’s certainly an… interesting metaphor.”

“Exactly!” Kara pointed at her and nodded vehemently. “That’s exactly what I mean!”

The woman hummed and watched her for a few seconds. Kara desperately tried to think of something to say that would turn this conversation away from that subject. Going with the first thing that came to mind, Kara smiled at her seat neighbor and extended her hand.

“I’m Kara, by the way. Nice to meet you…?”

The woman glanced at her hand, seemingly confused at the sudden change of topic. Then she hesitantly accepted the handshake. “Lena.”

_Lena._ That was a nice name. It fit her perfectly. Kara gave her a quick once-over. It appeared as if she had come to the bar straight from the office. Yes, she looked like a successful businesswoman. Kara wondered what exactly her job was. A lawyer maybe? A CEO?

“You’re not from here, are you?”

Kara almost spat out her drink. How did she…? Had she recognized her? How was that possible?! That photo was blurry at best! _“What?”_

“You don’t know who I am.” Lena furrowed her brow as Kara visibly relaxed. She really had to stop being so paranoid. Alex’s words were getting to her. “That’s why I assumed you’re not from here. Although you could still be a reporter, I suppose. It would certainly not be the first time.”

“Oh, I’m nothing more than a boring assistant, no need to worry about that.” Kara tilted her head and studied her. Was she supposed to recognize her? She was sure she had never seen her before. A face like that was not easy to forget. Perhaps it was only something local. “So everyone in this city knows you from sight? What are you, famous?”

Lena snorted, a bitter smile appeared on her face as she glanced down at her drink.

“Something like that,” Lena muttered before she looked back up. “Anyway, where are you from?”

“National City. I’m… visiting my cousin. Spur of a moment thing, really. It wasn’t well thought out, to be honest. And now…” Kara made a vague gesture at her surroundings. “Now, I’m here and try to forget about it.”

Lena hummed. “You two had a disagreement?”

“I mean, I guess you could call it that? We just… see things differently. He’s not… he just can’t understand.” Kara sighed and glanced down at the counter. “We had very different lives growing up. I guess it’s just… family drama. Nothing special, really.”

“Ah, cheers to that. What would the world be without some good quality family drama?” Lena took a large sip from her scotch. “Isn’t that what families are for?”

“Wow, that’s… that’s actually pretty dark.”

Lena raised an eyebrow at her. “Is it? I’d say it’s realistic. How many families do you know that actually function? You yourself called humankind a dysfunctional family. The term is so widely spread because it is happening all the time. Everywhere. No family is perfect. There is always some kind of drama, some issue. Some bigger than others, of course. But in the end, your family is the one that can really screw you up. Therapists would be out of a job if not for families. Look at all the criminals who hide behind their dark family past. If you listened to them, it seems like having a bad childhood would make you the prime candidate for becoming a serial killer or mass murderer. Childhood traumas can define who you will become. And most of these traumas? Those are on families.”

Kara furrowed her brow as Lena glared at her drink. She couldn’t mean that, could she? “That doesn’t mean that families are generally bad or dysfunctional. There’s so much more to families. They can be the best thing that ever happened to you. Family is… they’re always there for you. They love you, no matter what. You can always count on them, during good as well as bad times. A family is unlimited support and care. They accept you the way you are and they would do anything in their power to see you happy. They will protect you and keep you safe, even if,” Kara sighed as her thoughts drifted to Alex, “even if it means that you butt heads and fight. But they love you nonetheless and they always mean well.”

“That is a lovely point of view, but it is not always the case. Not everyone has a family like that.”

“But you see, a family is not always the one you were born into. You can meet them along the way.” Kara smiled at Lena as the other woman regarded her carefully. “I mean, I lost almost my entire biological family when I was younger and I was absolutely devastated. I thought I would never be happy again. I lost my… my world. Everything I had ever known. But I found a new family or… or rather they found me.” Kara shrugged. “I know I’m incredibly lucky, but… if none of that works out? There are always friendships. I firmly believe that you can choose your own family. They don’t have to be related to you by blood. Blood doesn’t make a family. Love does.”

Lena watched her for a moment before she broke their eye contact and emptied her glass. She gave the barkeeper a sign and he gave her another drink. “It’s not that easy.”

“What do you mean?”

“Choosing your own family.” Lena smiled wryly at her drink and took another sip. She was silent for a few seconds. Then she sighed heavily. “Some of us can’t, you know? We don’t get to choose. It is chosen for us. You can’t just leave that family or choose another. They will be with you forever, no matter what you do. They mark you. They are poisoning the air around you, tainting relationships, making sure you won’t…”

Kara’s eyebrows rose as Lena trailed off. And she had thought _her_ day was bad. In the end, she still had Alex, Eliza, Clark, and Winn. She had people who loved her unconditionally and wanted to keep her safe. Lena, on the other hand… did she have anyone?

Lena rolled her eyes in exasperation. “God, look at me. Whining like a baby.”

“What about… friends?” Kara asked quietly.

“Friends…” Lena threw her an amused look. “Aren’t you adorable?”

Her cheeks started to heat up again and Kara hoped she was not blushing. Maybe the alcohol was finally doing its job. She had certainly consumed more than enough to grant a human alcohol poisoning. She pushed her glasses back up. “Friends can become your family too.”

“People… do not tend to befriend me without any ulterior motives. I would be a fool to think otherwise.” Lena shrugged. “It is what it is. You learn to live with it.”

Kara regarded her thoughtfully. It sounded like a lonely life. Nobody deserved to be alone in this world. Especially not someone like Lena. She had only talked to her for a few minutes, but she already had a feeling that Lena was a good person. A good person who apparently had not always the easiest life. Maybe she could change that? Maybe she could become friends with her?

“Anyways, enough of that.” Lena waved off and gestured to the TV. “What do you think of this one?”

After that, they fell into an easy conversation. Lena, so Kara found out, was probably the most guarded person she had ever met. Her walls were built high and thick. Every expression — from the tone of her voice to the lift of her eyebrows — seemed perfectly calculated. However, Kara could see glimpses of the real Lena shining through little by little. It was beautiful and fascinating to witness. It was difficult to notice, but sometimes the smile would reach her eyes, leaving small crinkles in the corners. Her voice and gestures would become more animated and lose the cool control when she talked about topics and people that inspired her.

Kara learned that Lena was very interested in technology, medicine, and the latest inventions. The scientific discussion was fun, something that she had keenly avoided in the past. She knew she should be careful with the subject, but she could not help but match Lena’s enthusiasm. Kara also realized fairly quickly that Lena’s family seemed to be a sore subject for her which she avoided at all costs. It did make sense after she had seen her meager view on the topic before.

Kara did not know how long they had talked, but when she managed to tear her eyes away from Lena’s, she was startled to notice that the crowd in the bar had thinned out. A glance at a nearby clock told her that it was early morning. Wincing, she remembered that she still had work in a few hours. All she wanted to do was call in sick for the first time in her life. She wished she could keep talking to Lena. But Ms. Grant would surely receive a heart attack or have an aneurysm if she did.

Lena had followed her look and let out a startled laugh. “Oh dear, don’t tell me that is the actual time?”

“I’m afraid so.” Kara groaned and stretched. She still had to fly home without being seen. Outside, dawn was breaking. “I need to head back. I have to get ready for work.”

Lena turned to her with an incredulous look. “This morning? In National City?”

“Yeah, my boss… I would love nothing more than calling in sick, but I’m afraid she’d eat me alive.” Kara chuckled. “I cannot believe I stayed the whole night. Time went by fast.”

“But…” Lena frowned. “How’d you even… can you even manage to get back in time?”

“Hm? Of course. I’ll just fly.”

Kara tilted her head and furrowed her brow, mentally already going through the morning agenda. Ms. Grant would surely call an emergency meeting the morning after the news broke of… well, _her._ She would want answers, any scoop available about the latest alien appearance. Which meant, she probably had not slept much either. This could very well mean that Ms. Grant would be irritable. She should probably refill the M&Ms, just in case. And order an extra-strong coffee.

“Kara, National City is almost 3,000 miles away!” Lena started to go through her handbag and took out a cell phone. “Do you need to get to the airport? When is your flight leaving? I’ll call my driver, I —”

Kara blinked a few times. “Whoa, hold your horses, Lena. It’s fine. I’ll make it in time, don’t worry.”

But Lena was already scrolling through her phone. “It is nearly impossible for you to arrive punctually at work, Kara! The fastest flight takes a bit over five hours and the next one is in —”

“It’ll be fine, trust me.” Kara had to suppress a smile at how frantic Lena was. “But I should leave now. It was nice meeting you. I had a lot of fun.”

“Well, if you’re absolutely sure.” Lena did not seem too convinced. “I had a great time as well. Um, I'm sorry if this might be too forward or anything, but… would you perhaps mind, if we exchanged numbers? I would really love to make sure that you made it home safely.”

A warm feeling spread through Kara’s body as she quickly agreed. A few seconds later, they had each other’s phone numbers. This made the goodbye much easier. She had dreaded leaving Lena without ever seeing her again. Perhaps now they had a chance of actually becoming friends…?

With a shy smile and a wave towards Lena, Kara paid the barkeeper and left the bar. As soon as she stepped outside, the first rays of sunshine hit her face. As she looked up to the sky, she could only find a few clouds. She grimaced at the thought that she probably had to fly higher than before. It was always so cold up there. But better safe than sorry. Despite her speed, she did not want to be potentially seen or recorded by anyone. Alex’s words were still in the back of her mind. She did not need to take unnecessary risks.

Briefly looking around, she went to the alley next to the bar. She opted to make a test flight and slowly rose from the ground, hidden by the shadows of the tall buildings to each side. Nobody from afar would be able to get a good look at her. She searched the sky above her for any obstacles before she wanted to fly with her true speed, but a sharp gasp from below almost made her fall down to the ground. Her stomach dropped and she whirled her head around.

Alex was going to kill her.

She gulped as her heart pounded faster and her hands started to shake. It was too late now. She could not speed up and disappear. She had made a mistake. A major mistake. She had been too exhausted, too occupied, to think rationally. She had forgotten to look if someone had followed her into the alleyway. The streets had been almost empty, of course, but it was still an oversight from her.

An oversight that had the potential to destroy everything.

She balled her trembling hands into fists and slowly started to descend. She had to face her fears, she had to handle this. She had to hope that everything would be okay. That she could convince her to keep it a secret. Even if all her hopes for forming a friendship or even more had just come crashing down.

When her feet hit the ground again, she cleared her throat, trying to make herself seem confident. The person in front of her was still staring at her, her calculating eyes not missing a single movement she made.

“You… you forgot your jacket.” Lena held up the bundle in her arms.

Kara winced. She glanced from her jacket to Lena. She could not tell what she was thinking. The walls were back up, higher than before. “Lena, I… I can explain.”

Her pleading eyes met cold green ones.

“You are that alien from National City.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
>  Hi guys, and thanks again for all the comments and kudos you've given me! I really appreciate them! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter too. Have fun!

“You are that alien from National City.”

Kara bit her lip. This was not good. It was not good at all. Alex was going to _kill_ her, definitely. And not only Alex. Her sister was right - it could be dangerous if people knew she was an alien. For her and for her family. She knew not everyone was accepting of aliens. Even her cousin faced threats because of it, and he was a well-known _hero._ He had saved countless lives throughout the years, yet some people still feared him, still hated him for what he was. She only had to think about that whole Luthor situation.

“I, um… I prefer Kara, actually.” She gave Lena a tentative smile which was not returned. “I… I would appreciate it if you could… you know, keep this to yourself…?”

“You’re not denying it?”

Blinking in surprise, Kara paused. “Denying it? Why would I deny it? You just caught me mid-air. There is no logical explanation for this. Denial would simply insult your intelligence. And if there’s one thing I learned tonight, it’s that you’re one of the smartest people I’ve ever talked to.”

Lena kept studying her and Kara shifted nervously. Something about this stare made her incredibly uncomfortable.

“You are that alien from National City. The one who saved the plane.”

Kara nodded slowly. Her mind was still racing. How was she going to convince Lena to keep this a secret? Sulking in the bar had really not been a good idea. She should have never flown to Metropolis. Everything had gone down the drain. She should have just stayed in her apartment and wallowed in self-pity. Not even Clark had been a help. On the contrary. But then again she would have never met Lena… and she liked Lena.

“And Superman is your cousin.”

Kara’s jaw dropped. »Ex-excuse me? My- my cousin? Clar- I mean, Superman?«

“Superman is the cousin you were visiting here, isn’t he?”

Kara opened her mouth to respond, only to close it again shortly after. This was not good. Not good at all. Clark would be pissed. Rightfully so. But how could Lena have known…? A thought struck her and she took a step back. “Can you read minds?!”

For the first time since the unfortunate discovery, Lena let her mask slip. For a second, Kara was able to see surprise and shock before the wall slammed back down with full force. “No, of course not! This is merely a logical conclusion. Can some aliens read minds?”

“Some, yes.” Before Lena was able to form the next question, Kara shook her head. “And no, I can’t.”

Kara glanced at her watch. She really needed to leave, if she wanted to keep her job. But she could not just leave Lena like that. Lena had all the information that could hurt her and her family. But… would she?

Somehow, she doubted it. She barely knew Lena, yet something was telling her that she could trust her. Alex would call her crazy. Kara grimaced at the thought of her sister. She had to tell Alex, didn’t she? And Clark? If anything, she would have to fear _them_ — not Lena.

If she was being honest with herself, it was also kind of nice that someone else knew, other than her family. Maybe Lena still wanted to be friends. Okay, maybe she was getting too excited about this. First of all, she had to save her job and hope that Lena would not stab her in the back. At least not until they had talked about everything. Although she really did not believe that Lena would do something like that.

Making a decision, Kara sighed heavily. “Um, look, Lena. I… I… um, can we talk about everything later this evening? I promise I’ll explain, but I really have to leave for work or I will get fired. If you could text me an address later where I could find you, that would be great. But… please don’t tell anyone about this, okay? Please.”

Lena gave her an incredulous look. “Let me get this straight. I just discovered that you’re an alien - not just an alien but the one this whole country has been looking for since the news broke. I’m also fairly confident that you’re the cousin of Superman since you failed to deny my theory. And now you just want to… go to work?”

“Yes? I mean, I get that you want answers and if it was any other day I would gladly give them to you right away and we could talk it over but - seriously, my boss will kill me. Especially today of all days.” Kara stuck her bottom lip out and tried to give her the best puppy eyes. “Please, Lena. I know this is much to ask and you have many questions —”

“No, this is not - this is not logical!”

Kara blinked. “What?”

“You can’t just… _trust_ me!”

“But… but I do?”

Lena gave her a long look and silence started to spread between them. Kara shifted from one foot to the other. She felt like she was missing something.

“Why?”

Kara waited for a specification of that question, but none came. Lena only kept staring at her as if she was the strangest thing she had ever witnessed. Was that a good or a bad sign? “Why what exactly?”

“Why do you trust me? We only met a few hours ago. You don’t know me.” An emotion briefly shined in Lena’s eyes, but it disappeared so quickly that Kara could not decipher it in time. “You don’t know what I could be capable of. I’m a stranger. I could call the news right now and tell them everything I know.”

“But you won’t.” The certainty in Kara’s voice caused Lena to raise her eyebrows in surprise. “I might not have known you for long, that’s true. But I know that you’re a good person.”

“How can you be so sure? How would you know?”

“I just do. You might not know it yourself just yet, but…” Kara searched Lena’s eyes, “but you’re a good person. I don’t know why you seem to think otherwise. You’re not a bad person, Lena. And that’s why I trust you.” She cleared her throat and glanced nervously at the sky. The sun was rising fast. “Look, Lena… I’m really, really sorry, but I seriously have to go or I won’t have a job anymore. I’ll promise I’ll stop by in the evening if you text me an address where we can meet. Then I can answer your questions and explain some things. Would that be alright?”

Lena watched her before nodding shortly. Kara’s shoulders dropped in relief as the tension slowly started to leave her body. “Don’t forget your jacket. And you better not break your promise.”

She smiled at the woman in front of her and gently took the jacket out of her hands. “I won’t. Thank you so much, Lena. I’ll see you tonight.”

Before Kara left, she shot another glance at Lena. Wonder and surprise shone in Lena’s eyes. With a last smile at her, Kara flew off. She hoped that Lena would keep the secret.

# *

_“Despite extensive efforts, no one has been able to identify who, or rather, what she is.”_ As she stepped out of the elevator and into the bullpen, Kara glanced at one of the TV screens where the photo from the day before was shown again. Every news station seemed to report about her. If not for this morning, Kara would have probably been ecstatic. Now, however, her stomach twisted unpleasantly.

She avoided bumping into people, carefully balancing the coffee and breakfast for Ms. Grant. Everyone in the office had stopped what they were doing and stared at the TVs around the room.

Walking up to her desk, she nodded at Winn in greeting. He too was riveted by the news report. “Pretty cool, huh?”

“A plane saving lady?” Winn scoffed, but Kara could tell that he loved every bit of another alien appearance. “How is the world supposed to take her seriously, when she can’t even come up with a suit? What, Metropolis gets _him_ and what does National City get? Some rookie superhero?”

There it was again. The comparison to Superman.

Kara frowned and set her bag on her desk. It made sense, of course, that people compared them, but… there was always the undertone in the way people said it. They always made it sound like she was less competent than him. That he was a better hero. That he was the _real_ superhero.

And to be fair, of course, he was a superhero. But she had the same kind of powers. She had yearned for years to use them and become the hero that people needed.

She turned around to face Winn. She wanted to tell him. Wanted to prove him wrong. To tell him that it was her. That she did it to save Alex. She wanted him to understand what it was like for her, day in and day out. How she had been forced to ignore calls for help in order to keep her family safe. How she might not have the experience that Superman had, but that she had been originally sent to Earth in order to protect _him._ Not the other way around.

But then Alex’s words came to the forefront of her mind and with them the memory of what had happened just this morning.

Would it be okay to tell Winn? To let another person in on the secret she had fought years to keep? Right after Lena had accidentally found out?

Kara sighed and closed her eyes. _No._ At least not yet. First, she had to talk to Lena about this and find out where she was standing with the woman. Afterward, there would still be enough time to tell Winn. He would understand.

“KIRA!”

Shaking the thought off, for now, Kara quickly headed into Ms. Grant’s office. “Good morning, Ms. Grant! Here is your latte and your lettuce-wrapped crisp from the Beanery.”

“You’re late!”

Kara furrowed her brow and subtly checked the time. She was punctual as always. “I’m… sorry?”

“Kira, Kira, Kira…” Ms. Grant pointed outside. “Do you see this? We have a national crisis, Kira! I’ve been here for three hours! And where were you?”

“Um…” Kara blinked. National crisis? “I…”

“We have the biggest news in the history of National City _and no one has any information!_ _”_ Ms. Grant threw her hands up and glared at the television screens behind her. “Arrange an emergency meeting. _Now_. I want anyone with a brain in this room ten minutes ago! This could be exactly what we need to save the Tribune. I will be damned if any other news outlet reports anything before us!”

“Yes, Ms. Grant. I’ll see to it immediately.”

“Then why are you still here?”

Kara forced a smile and whirled around to go find the usual team of reporters for situations like these. She had clearly underestimated Ms. Grant’s state of mind. Ms. Grant was not just irritable. She was highly stressed out and nearing a meltdown. Sighing, Kara stopped for a moment and glanced at the big TV screens again.

She knew the lack of news was driving Ms. Grant insane. But she was relieved by the silence. It told her that she was right to trust Lena with her secret. Although, with every passing hour, the price for exclusive content grew higher and the offers became more desperate. It was a lot of temptation for anyone to resist. She supposed she could not even be mad at Lena if she succumbed to it eventually. After all, Lena did not know her. And Lena seemed distrustful enough as it was. Why would Lena keep such a huge secret for a stranger? It would make sense if she sold her out - promise or not.

Kara groaned quietly. She would be forced to sit through every news report in the hope that her real identity wouldn’t be revealed. Today would be a long day.

The beeping of her phone snapped her out of her thoughts. When she saw who the text was from, she could not help but smile brightly.

_‘This is the address of my penthouse. You can either land right on the terrace or go up the normal way. 9 pm. - L’_

Kara carefully stored her phone away. With a spring in her step, she started to round up every reporter that Ms. Grant had requested.

It would be a long day, indeed. She could not wait to see Lena again.


End file.
